Its usually challenging to arrive late at night to any country. You are still confused about what time and day it is after a 10+ hour flight. The last thing you want to think about is the hassle at the airport and the transportation to get to your hotel.
For us, it was close to midnight. My husband had his visa in advance and I was supposed to get on arrival. No lines, no hassle. With the Jordan Pass I got the visa for free. We got the opportunity to be headed within a few minutes straight to the rentals and got a decent car. Internet connection, GPS, everything going well on the road, until we saw a police officer that was pulling us over to the side. OMG!
My husband immediately stops, rolls his window down and the officer starts to laugh. He asks if he is American and after he nods, then replies: ” Welcome to Jordan!”. So funny and so kind! Although, I didn’t know that we were going to be hearing that same phrase everywhere we went, this was our first clue: people there were going to be very nice and we were going to have a great time!
First Day in Jordan Amman
We decided to stay at Zaman Ya Zaman Boutique Hotel, which is located literally in front of the Roman Theater ruins. Therefore, this site was our first stop of the day. Covered by the Jordan Pass and almost with no one around it, this was an easy and rather quick visit. Outside stands a plaza with more ruins and on its side, there is a mini version of another theater. Really cute place to visit!
Very close of the Roman Theatre -by the hill- stands the Amman Citadel. It is a medium size complex with several ruins that are very well preserved. Highlights of the site include the Roman Temple of Hercules and the Umayyad Complex. This place has also a great viewpoint for the city so I would highly encourage a visit. It is really easy to get to, it has free parking, restrooms and is covered by the Jordan Pass. The best part is that you can contemplate the Roman Theater from up above!
Downtown Amman can be a little chaotic, but also ethically and culturally rich. Traffic can get a little crazy and people can crowd places in the blink of an eye, but the market that stands at its heart is truly fantastic. Full of fruits and vegetables, homemade desserts, very cheap household items, you can tell it is the place for everyone. Also, very welcoming to visitors and tourists that want to experiment how locals shop around!
Just walking through you will ran into the Roman Nymphaeum, majestical ruins that still stand quietly in the middle of chaos. Although the place was closed when we were going by, a fence was the only thing standing between between us and the site. So what do we do? I climb into my husband shoulders and take some pictures. Everybody thought I was crazy, and got a good laugh about it, but I didn’t mind. We made it a quick, memorable stop.
Just a few steps after was the Grand Husseini Mosque. My husband was the one going in as women are just allowed to go into the women’s side. I have been there before. Nothing looks outstanding. They all seem like study rooms with a lot of books. Apparently, I didn’t miss much. The Mosque inside was by itself quite simple. It is always full of locals because of its convenient location. Not sure why its recommended. You be the judge!
Next we wanted to visit the iconic Abu Darwish Mosque, also known as the stripped Mosque. It is located in a maze type of neighborhood and it was not very easy to find. The bad news again: it is not as nice as it looks in the pictures. Its rather an old mosque that stands on a hill. Professional photographers do make it look outstanding, but to be honest, we were a little disappointed once we got there. Again men and women have to go into different sections, so not very fun. Outside there is a viewpoint of the city, but not really. Inside, its not really mesmerizing.
On our way to King Abdullah Mosque, we made a quick stop at Ten Arches Bridge, dating back to the Ottoman era in Jordan and built in 1908. Quick but fun to see. Check it out!
The mosque is located at the heart of the modern city. Tourists are welcome and long tunics for women are provided. The Mosque inside is quite stunning. The red carpet stands out and you feel like floating through clouds. Very quiet and spiritual. We just sat for a few minutes to contemplate its beauty. After, we just started going around the halls as it is fully decorated all the way through!
On our way to Qsar Al Abd Ruins, we went through the Abdoun Bridge, the only cable-stayed bridge in the country. Very beautiful and modern, providing a glimpse of future into a site standing in magnificent ruins and built into strong traditions!
Qasr al-Abd is a large Hellenistic palace from the first quarter of the second century B.C.E., whose ruins are extremely well preserved. Although its about 20 kms from Amman, it is indeed worth the visit. Not very large in size, but deeply rooted in history as its origin its still unknown. There are several legends and versions of where it came from. However, no one can be really sure.
Our journey continued to the Madaba Mosaic Map, part of a floor mosaic in the Byzantine church of Saint George. The Madaba Map contains the oldest surviving cartographic depiction of the Holy Land and it dates to the 6th century AD. When you visit you are able to contemplate a simple but rich Orthodox Church full of detailed and colored mosaics. Small in size, but a must-see.
For the sunset, we decided to drive to Mount Nebo. This site is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land. The view from the summit is spectacular as it provides a panorama of the valley, Jericho and if you are lucky, of Jerusalem itself.
Of course, we weren’t as lucky. But we did go on a perfect time. The walk to the viewpoint and the church its just a few steps uphill. But at the end you will find yourself at the very top of a mountain, with high winds trying you to blow away and one of the the most stunning views I have ever seen. I stayed there for the longest time, and watched how the sun came down through the valley.
Afterwards, I stepped into the church and contemplated magnificent mosaics that were exposed all around the place. Majestic site to visit! Don’t miss it!
Second Day in Jordan: Petra
We were excited about going to Petra. The drive was going to take about three hours and we wanted to visit for as long as we could. We woke up before sunrise and got to the site as soon as they were opening. Parking was plenty and the access was really easy. Although the entrance to the site was covered with the Jordan Pass, you still had to make the line to get a physical ticket.
Once inside, there were people offering us a horse ride to the entrance of the city. The further you walk, the cheaper it gets! I thought we were there though. Turns out there is a 20 minute walk prior to the real starting point.
We decided to walk. We knew it was going to be around 6 miles to the Monastery and all the way back, and we were ready for the adventure! It was a pretty day, with a perfect temperature.
Carved structures started appearing vaguely during the first portion of the walk. Very shy, some were seamlessly hidden. We had a good time trying to find every single structure we could within the mountain. Hoping, of course, that it was not going to be like that all the way!
The people that took the horse ride were taken up to where the slot canyon begins. It was a memorable spot: beautiful wide rock tunnel opens in front of you and there is no other option rather than to follow its path. At this point, there are some carriages that will offer to take you through the city. However, once again, we decided to walk!
A few carved windows, a couple of stairs into the rocks. Holes and details to notice. How mesmerizing. Something good was coming up. Suddenly, we got out of the canyon and saw The Treasury in all its glory. Half way lighted and half way still in the shade. The morning was still young!
It is very hard to take your eyes out of this magnificent structure. How? Why? Hundreds of people are around you, probably astonished as you are. Some others are taking pictures. But all of us wonder. Again, its hard to look or go anywhere else. Can it get better than this?
There is a short side trail that will allow you to climb a few steps and get to a viewpoint. It is a little bit less crowded and it is the perfect place to take the most amazing pictures. Be sure not to miss it!
As you walk, the carvings seem to get bigger. Full detailed wall rocks, very well preserved. You can start to see the city now. We decided to take a side trail that took us uphill, but there was really nothing that we would have missed. We got to the ruins of the High Palace of Sacrifice. We regretted it a little because of the time it took us. Believe me: The main road seems to have it all!
When we were back to the point we took our detour, we noticed that the place was getting crowded and the heat was starting to rise faster. Vendors also arrived and made the walking area narrower. We really wanted to visit the monastery, so we focused our energy in getting there before lunch. Lots to see on both sides as you walk, but its good to climb when the temperature is still good.
Vendors again offered us the ride to the Monastery in horse, camel, donkey, pretty much anyway they could. Once again, we decided to walk. We were not tired as the terrain is pretty flat and the temperature was decent.
The walk up to the Monastery took us around 45 minutes. No stops, no vendors. Straight up through hundreds of rock stairs. Was it worth it? You, be the judge.
On this site, there is actually a cafeteria. We stopped for a while and had some lunch. Plenty of seating area with the perfect view. The good news is that although this was the only place around the area, it didn’t overcharge us for everything. Our meal was actually pretty cheap and very filling (it was the most amazing chicken burritos). On the other hand, ice creams or drinks seemed to be a highly desirable, but super expensive items.
The way down is extremely easy. Unless you run into donkeys or camels, you will be almost running with ease. As soon as you get back, there are restrooms and a sitting down restaurant. Again, not cheap.
We got to enjoy the rest of Petra with plenty of time. We spent a lot of time in the Royal Tombs as they have monumental rooms in which the rock colors have the most powerful and mesmerizing combinations. We also got to visit the ruins of the immense Great Temple and contemplated the magnificent monument Qasr al-Bint. At the end, we decided to take another quick detour to the Byzantine Church in order to admire its well preserved mosaic floors.
I’m not going to lie. The way back after visiting Petra can be exhausting. The heat really beats you up and each step starts to count. But we had decided to walk, and so we did. From beginning to the end and had no regrets!
Last Day in Jordan: Jerash
I didn’t know Jerash. It never really ring a bell. When my husband did the research and recommended to visit the site, I told him to leave it as an optional. Just if we had plenty of time and everything went right. Today, I am so glad it did go that well. We were lucky enough to follow destiny’s advice, not mine! This place is a jewel, a total must-see!
Jerash is an iconic place because it has the best preserved roman ruins in the world. Inside, its a wide monumental complex with over 35 sites to visit. Located just 45 minutes away from Amman, you will be surprised. The place is not very crowded. Parking and restrooms are easily accessible.
The starting point is at the magnificent Hadrian’s Arch: my first clue that I was going to be impressed. As you walk in, the path will lead you to the iconic Hippodrome. Although, you can definitely spend a few minutes in these two sites, you are just getting started.
A few steps away you find stairs to the visitor center or you can continue straight into the Great Temple of Zeus and the monumental Oval Plaza.
After the plaza, there is a main rocky road that will lead you all the way to the end. Its up to you to take the side trails to keep exploring the site. If you dare to, you will see the beautiful Macellum, the simple Umayyad Mosque, some Umayyad Houses, the columns at the South Tetrapylon, the mosaic floors at the Cathedral and the Church of St. Theodore, the photogenic Nymphaeum, and the ruins of the Church Propylaea.
You will also get to admire the ruins of the west baths and then go up to the North Roman Theater, the Agora and also the magnificent Temple of Artemis. Well worth the climb!
The walk is not bad, but it does take a long time. It has so many sites, so well preserved ruins, so many details. I have been to Europe, have visited Rome and never felt what I did in Jerash. I have shared these memories with my closest family and friends that have been to the same places and they don’t trust me. As I show them, they can’t believe their eyes. Everybody is still wondering about this hidden jewel. It just takes half a day to visit. But the experience and memories will last for a life time!
Wookitu 